Biliary Stone Disease

Exam Cram

• Biliary stone disease is caused by calcification of salts from the bile to form calculi within the biliary tree

• Presentation: right upper quadrant pain (RUQ) + features depending upon where the stone is 

• Investigations: cholestatic LFTs and imaging to localise stone

• Management: laporscopic cholecystectomy

Definitions

• Biliary Colic: Episodic RUQ colicky pain coming from the gallbladder contracting in response to, particularly, fatty meals, normal obs/ bloods

• Cholecystitis: Infection of the gallbladder, persistent RUQ + raised inflammatory markers,

• Ascending cholangitis Biliary sepsis: fever, deranged LFTs, RUQ pain; requires sepsis 6 including antibiotics

• Gallstone pancreatitis Biliary stone at the end of common bile duct, blocking pancreatic duct and causing pancreatic juices to back up and self digest pancreas

• Cholelithiasis: Gallstones in gallbladder

• Choledocholithiasis: Gallstones in common bile duct

Resources and References

Written in 2025